Harbour Energy, ConocoPhillips, Spirit Energy and Repsol Sinopec have joined the Aberdeen-based Net Zero Technology Centre’s well decommissioning collaboration initiative.
Actively supported by the Technology Leadership Board (TLB), the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) and Offshore Energies UK (OEUK), the initiative will enable multi-operator collaboration field trials of new technology – both offshore in the UK and onshore in some international locations. The result will be faster, lower-cost trials and wider industry adoption in the UK and beyond. They are committed to funding five technologies each year, each having at least three trials in the field, the NZTC said in its November 29 announcement.
Wells represent almost half (46%) of UKCS decommissioning costs, or an estimated £20bn spend over the life of the basin. Technology best practice and innovation has a key role in helping operators reduce the cost and the associated emissions.
The goal is to have a minimum of six technologies successfully qualified and adopted by year four of the collaboration.